Garden Expansion

We're starting to plan for more garden boxes.  Below is the site plan (green boxes are existing, purple ones are future).  I have begun to assign new boxes.  Contact me if you're interested in gardening this year.  luvmyhub AT gmail.com

A few of us met to talk about the gardens yesterday.  Cary Cox (POA President) is on left and Randy Ripley (architect and garden designer) on right.

Jim and Margaret Ault were working on their plots yesterday.  They gave me a nice mess of spinach and lettuce.  It made a yummy addition to my dinner.
The Aults also shared spinach with the Ripleys.  Below Claudette is helping herself.

I planted seeds (spinach, onions and lettuce) last week but they've yet to germinate.  I hope they didn't wash away in last week's downpours.

The Winter Garden

Y'all, I'm getting excited for spring!  Three weeks ago I gave birth to our third child, a 10 pound 10 ounce healthy boy (details here).  I feel a million times better than I have in nine months!

Yesterday I went to the garden for the first time in months.  Oh boy - it looks different from this fall.

First of all, the garden fairies built a compost bin.  It looks great!  Who wants to take credit for it?  All we need now is more compost.  :)

Looks like Clay Paul sowed some winter wheat as soil-enriching ground cover.  And, it looks like his mint survived the cold snap.

The main reason I went to the garden was to dump our ash bucket on my plot.  My parents scatter their fireplaces ashes on their garden so I thought I'd follow suit.  You can read more about using ashes to amend the soil here.  Our next bucket will be scattered in our yard.  We've loved burning a fire this winter!

 I suppose technically I should have had a soil sample taken first.  I'll put that on my "to do" list.

 I'm getting excited for spring!  The daffodils are poking up their sleepy heads in my flower beds.

Amending the Soil: Winter Wheat

Two informative articles from Mother Earth News:

Cover Crops: Tips and Advantages
Restoring Soil Nutrients: Organic Gardening

I plan on getting to the garden soon to clean out my bed and plant some winter wheat.  From bread making, I had some soft winter wheat (that grows well in a warm winter climate like ours).  I'm sure you could buy some at Whole Foods in the bulk bins.  Or just ask me, I'll give you a cup - our beds are so small you don't need much.

Below are pictures from LAST December of the raised bed near my house...and my cute garden helpers.

 She thought the soft soil was chocolate.  And soon learned it wasn't.

At the farmers' market, I scored some rice hulls to act as compost as well as camouflage for the wheat kernels (so the birds wouldn't peck the wheat before they germinated.)

We also added wheat to flower pots that didn't have annuals.  Actually, I think I planted tulips in this pot (below the wheat) and it looked pretty for a day or so until it was too hot and my tulips wilted.

 Springtime...just before I turned the soil.

Neighborhood Improvements

Cary Cox, our POA president, applied for and received a grant for $1,000 from the city to make some improvements to our neighborhood.  Below you will see that most of the efforts were in the park.  Of course pictures don't do justice so please go take a look for yourself!!  Several volunteer crews have been busy (thank you!).  If you've missed out, there will be more work days. :)

The handrails on Old Forge near Clapboard Hill were given a fresh coat of paint.

Receiving landscaping attention was the traffic island also near Old Forge and Clapboard Hill.

In the picnic area of the park, a much needed giant load of mulch was dumped and spread.

Earlier in the summer these Knock Out Roses were planted and amazingly survived the dreaded drought. 

A path was built with railroad ties then filled in with mulch from the park's parking lot to the garden area.

The gazebo is getting a facelift! The old (rotting) cedar shake shingles are being replaced with new ones.

Jim and Margaret Ault were in their garden today, cleaning up and planting seeds because "the almanac says today is the day to plant."

 Someone has had success already with radishes.

 The Garden of Weedin' is now the Garden of Eatin'!  The green beans look yum!

Debbie Poirot has been working hard in her garden and it shows!  There were so many butterflies on the zinnias in the garden today when I was there.  It was beautiful to watch them.

 Debbie added pine straw around the bottom of her box.  It looks very neat and pretty.

Hey!  If anyone has hay left over after Halloween, please bring it to the garden.  We can use it as mulch or compost it.  The same goes with your bags of leaves.

 Thanks again to all the volunteer workers.

If anyone is interested in obtaining a garden box for the spring, please contact Julie:: luvmyhub AT gmail DOT com

Movie in the Park

The vice-president of our property owner's association had a great idea - to have a "move in the park" night.  A big thank you goes to Jason Bone for spearheading the project and pushing it through!  It was a huge success!

 We had a great turnout of people.

 I think we'll do it again in a few weeks.

Sweet Potatoes from the Garden

On her way to Kroger Friday night, Charlotte caught me in the yard.  She stopped and said with excitement, "You won't believe what I just got from my garden!"

She said as she was watering she noticed something orange in the dirt.  Upon further examination she realized the sweet potatoes were ready for harvest!  (There are more to be harvested.)

So that you will know how large they are, I stuck my hand next to the box.  One of them was as long as my hand!

 Congratulations, Charlotte!

Diversity in Our Garden

Just in case the extreme heat and drought like conditions have you a bit discouraged, take a look at this list of things we grew in the garden this year.

In no particular order:

Eggplant
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
Cabbage
Sweet Potatoes
White Potatoes
Cucumbers
Peppers - multi colors of sweet bell
Banana peppers
Jalapeño Peppers
Anaheim Peppers
Tomatoes - all kinds!
Okra
Peas
Carrots
Onions
Green beans
Watermelon
Cantaloupe
Squash
Radishes
Turnips
Lettuce
Herbs - basil, parsley, cilantro, dill, rosemary
Flowers - zinnia , marigold, sunflowers

A few weeds. :)